Fishing tool



May 1, 1923.

G. F. CUNNINGHAM FISHING TOOL Filed Sept. l, 1921 El EEE Eunnlanham Patented May l, 1923.

STATE-:s

Meer I PATE-Nr cerise# GEORGE r. CNNINGHAM; or ALEX-Annata Louisiana; f

FISHING Toor..

Application le'd September 1, i921. eral o. 497,47@ y -l toprovide a novel fishing' tool for facilitata` ing` the removal of well -casings from voil wells and the like, said fishing tool being so constructed as to permit the ready lowering thereof into an operative position in relation to the casingto be removed and to permit the jaws thereof to be forced into posi'f tive enga-gement with the inner vsurfa'ce'of the casing.

Another object of the invention is to pro,- vide `an improved tool for removing well casings embodying a plurality of` 'casing engaging jaws, means for normally holding the jaws in an inoperative positionin relation to the well casing,l wherebyl the tool can be readily lowered into or removed from 4 a well casing, a novel means for forcing the jaws into an operative position in yrelation to the well casing, and a novel means for mounting the jaws whereby the same j will be forced into tight engagement with the casing during the raising of the casing. i A j still further object of the invention is to provide an improved well tool vf-ftlie above character which willjbe durable and v eicient in use, one that will be simple and easy to manufacture, and'one which can be placed upon the market 'at a. reasonable cost.

With these and other objects'v in view, the invention consists in the novel constructionarrangement and formation `of parts,v as will be' hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the ac-` companyingl drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which. drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a well casing and improved tool, yShowing the jaws of the tool in their inoperative position taken on the line' 1-.-1 of Figure 3.

Figure y2 is asimilar view, showln-g parts of the tool in elevation yand the jaws thereof slid into their positive locking position in relation to the wellcasing, soas to permit the` raising or lowering thereof.

Figure 3 is a section through a casing and tool, taken on "theline 3-3`of Figure 1,. and i Figure 4' is a section through the casing Referring to the Y drawings -in detail,` vwh'e'zrein simil-ar reference 'characters designate corresponding parts 'throughout the several views, the letter A' indicates the well Casing; B, thenovel tool fornpermitting-the readyl raising-and lowering of the casing;l

C, the means' utin'zeu for urging-the jaws 0fl theto'ol into operative'ipositionyrin A rennen for the easing-A.

` The casing. A can be made upinthe desired manner and may consist of the usual plufralityl lof cylindrical pipe sections 75,5

any preferred manner. y

,j The improved `tooly Bincludes the body D, ithe head E, the j aws F, and theme21-ns' Gr for normally holding `thejaws in their inoperative `p"sition.

which can be cfnected in the ordinary or as shown includes the tubnlar sleeve l10, the

upper end of which may be provided with The bodyv D is of a hollow const'ri'ictio'n tapered female` threads 11, for the reception of a pipe section 12, to which 4the improved tool 'Bfc'an be attached. 'The'lower end of the pipe section 12 isl provided with the usual In'ale threads 13.

The head E iscarried by the lower porti'on of the tubular sleeve 10 and `vmay be forned integral therewith". This` head lE includes a 'solid cylindrical body 15, which may have, shown, a diameter less than that er the 'tubular sleeve '10.

Thec'ylidrical body 15 has its periphery at equidistantly spaced points provided with grooves 16 for the reception 'of the jaws F, which will be hereinafter more fully described. Thev inner wall of the grooves' 16 arev gradually inclined downwardly toward their lower ends as at 17, for a purpose vwhich will hereinafter more fully appear. The lower edges of the grooves -16 at the tapered portions thereof may be provided with inwardly extending 'seats 18 for the reception of rollers 19', which facilitate the sliding movement ofthe jaws F. The body 15 is also provi-ded with an aXial bore 20, the upper' end oflwhi'ch is enlarged as at 21 for a p'urf posey which willalso hereinaftermore fully appear; The jaws F are 'of a wedge shape are mounted for sliiihgmovernent in the grooves 16 land owin'ggto `the inclined rear wallsnl of the grooves, the'wedge `shaped jaws F lwill be forced outwardly when the same are moved downwardly in a vertical plane in relation to the head FJ. The outer edges of these wedge shaped jaws F are serrated or provided with teeth 26, which are adapted to bite into the inner surface of the casin` A, when it is desired to raise or lower the casing from or into the well hole.`

The 4means G utilized for moving the jaws to their operative spread position and for holding the aws in their inoperative position consists of the stem 30, which is slidably mounted within the axial bore 20. The lower end of the stem is externally threaded and-fitted within a socket 3l, formed in the conical shaped nose which normally engages the lower surface of the body l5. The base lportion of the conical nose 32 is of substantially the same diameter as the' body land when the vnose is in its normal position, the vsaine closes the lower ends of the grooves v16,- .thereby preventing down'- ward movement ofthe wedge shaped jaws F in the grooves 16j The upper end of the stem 3() protrudes-outwardly of the body l5 for a considerable distance and lhas formed integrally therewith or secured thereto in any preferred manner the head 35, which constitutes the means for forcibly moving the jaws downwardly and, outwardly into their operative well casing grasping position. This head-35 consists of a disc shaped plate 36', and a plurality of depending equidistantly spaced lingers 37.v The lower ends 'of these lingers 37 are adapted to normally lit within the upper 'dared ends of the groove 16 directly above the wedge shaped jaws F. An expansion spring 3S is coiled about the stem 30 and is disposed within'the enlarged portion 2l of the axial .way20 and has its terminals engaging respectively the lower surface of the vdisc shaped plate 36 and a shoulder formed by the enlarged portion 21 of the axial way 2O. lt canl be seen that this spring normallytends to hold the head in its raised position and the conical nose yin engagement with the lower face of the head E and thus normally prevent downward and outward movement of the jaws 1When the head 35 of the means G is forced downwardly by -the actuating device C, it can be seen that the conical nose 32 will be moved downwardly and away from the lower 'face ofthe head E and that the fingers 37' will be moved into forcible engagement with the wedge shaped jaws F, thus moving the same downwardly in the grooves 16. The downward movement ofY the wedge shaped jaws F is permitted in the grooves by the rollers 19 and the inclined` rear walls lT of the grooves 16 will urge the wedge shaped jaws F outwardly into forcible gripping contact with the inner surface of the well casing, so that the casing may be readily raised or lowered as the case might be. lt can also be seen that the weight of the casing will normally tend to further move the wedge shaped jaws F toward the lower ends of the grooves 16, which, owing to the inclinedrear walls 17 thereof will force `the wedge shaped F into tighter contacting position with the well casing.

he actuating means C utilized for moving the head 37 of the operating means G includes a weight 40, which may be of any desired sir/,e or configuration providing the saine can have free movement within the pipe section l2, and is of such a mass as to operate the means (i. against the influence of the coil spring 38. The'upper end of the weightll() may be provided with an eyeiil, so'that cable or the like can be attached thereto and thus permit the ready raising and lowering of the weight into the wall casing. j Y

ln use of the improved tool, when it is desired to lift the. well casing, the sleeve l portion lO of the tool is threaded on to the pipe sections 12and the device is then lowered into the well casing until the head E thereof reaches the desired point. Atv this time, the actuating member C is dropped into the well casing, and the weight coming into forcible vcontact with the head portion 35 yof the operating means (i will forcibly move the jaws F, as heretobefore described, into engagement with the well casing. The pipe section l2 is then lifted in the usual manner and the jaws gripping the casing il will permit the ready raising thereof.

lWhen it is desired to release the jaws F from engagement with the well casing, it is merely necessary to lift the weight C and thespring 38 will tend to niove'the nose 32 upwardly and force the jaws back into their normal positions out of engagement with the well casing.

.From the foregoing description, it can be seen that an exceptionally simple and durable fishing tool has been provided for permitting the ready removing of a well casing from a well hole, the tool being so constructed Aas. to permit the ready lowering thereof into an operative position in'relation to the well casing, and to permit the jawsthereof to be readily moved into a spread well casing engaging position. y

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention; but,

l. A fishing tool comprising a body having a plurality of tapered guide ways therein, wedge shaped jaws slidably mounted in said guide ways, means for normally holding the jaws in an inoperative non-work engaging position in said vguide ways, and means for forcibly moving said jaws outwardly into a work engaging position.

2. A fishing tool comprising a head havgage the lower edge of the jaws to preventy movement thereof in said guide ways, and lingers carried by the stem for engaging the upper end of said jaws for moving the same downwardly into an operative work engaging position when the nose is moved away from said jaws.

3. A fishing tool comprising a body, a plurality of slidable work engaging jaws carried by the body, means'` slidably associated with sai-d bodyl for holding the jaws in a non-work engaging position against sliding movement, and means operatively connected to said iirstmentioned means for moving the jaws into a work engaging position upon operation of said second mentioned member. a j

4. A well fishing tool comprising a member, a plurality of slidable and radially movable jaws associated with said member, means engagingsaid jaws for preventing sliding movement thereof and for holding the jaws in a non-work engaging position, and a plurality of rigidmembers operatively connected to said means and disposed in superimposed relation to said jaws for forcibly moving the'jaws into a work engaging position upon actuation of said means, and means for moving first mentioned means in a downward position. ,j

5. A well fishing tool comprising a member, a plurality of slidable and radially movable jaws vassociated with said member, means engaging said jaws for preventing lsliding movement thereof and for holding the jaws in a non-work engaging position, a plurality of rigid members4 operatively connected to said means and -disposed in superimposed relation'to said jaws for forcibly moving the jaws into work-engaging position upon actuation of said means, means for moving said first mentioned means in a downward position, and resilient means for normally holding said first mentioned means in a raised position against accidental movement.

' 6. A well fishing tool comprising a head, having av plurality of'taperedjguide ways formed in the peripheryy thereof ,openingl out at the upper and lower ends of the head, a sliding stem associated with the l head, a nose carried by the lower end of the stem arranged to normally abut the-lower face of the head and close the lower ends of said guide ways, a `plurality of wedge shaped jaws slidably mounted in said guide ways, a head carried by the upper endof the stem including a plurality of depending `fingers arranged to extend within said guide ways,

spring means normally holding the stem,

nose and Alast mentioned `head in a raised position, and aweighty for permitting .the

downward movement of the stem and its cooperative parts against'the tension of said spring means as and for the purpose specified.

7 A fishing tool for use in removing well tapered guide ways formed therein opening l out through the' lowerrand upper faces of c casings vcomprising a'tubular body, a solidy the head, the guide ways having notches formed therein, roller bearings fitted in said.

notches, tapered jaws slidably mounted in said guide ways, grippingteeth formed'on the outer edges of said wedges, the head being provided with an axial way, 4a stem slidably mounted in said aXial way, a conical shaped nose carried by the lower end of the stem having a diameter substantially equal n to the diameter of the head and arranged to normallyclose the lower ends'of said guide ways to prevent downward movement of said tapered jaws, a disc carried by theupper end of the stem, a plurality of depending fingers carried by the periphery of the disc arranged to extend` in the upper ends of said guide ways, an exnansionspring coiled around vsaid stem arranged to engage the disc and said head, and a weight for operating said stem and cooperative parts against the influence of said spring. y

GEORGE yF. CUNNINGHAM. 

